Protector for oil-tanks



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. J. HALL.

PROTEOTOR FOR OIL TANKS.

No. 258,749. Patented May 30, 1882.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. J. HALL.

PROTECTOR FOR OIL TANKS.

No. 258,749. Patented May 30,1882.

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N. PETERS Fhnlol lhogmphcr. Washingium n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. HALL, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND WILLIAM J, HUTOHINS, OF JOLIET, ILLINOIS.

PROTECTOR FOR OIL=TANKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 258,749, dated May 30, 1882.

Application filed November 21, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. HALL, of the city of Syracuse, Onondaga county, State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Protectors for Oil-Tanks, the con struction and operation of which I will proceed to explain, reference being had to the annexed drawings and the letters and figures thereon, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view; Fig. 2, a plan view on the top of the lower section of the protector on the line 2, Fig. 1, where the two parts A and A join; Fig. 3, a piece of the wire-gauze, Fig. I, a vertical sectional view of one of the self-closing back-acting valves; Fig. 5, a piece of perforated brass; Fig. 6, a piece of gaspipe containing a gasburner; Fig. 7, a front view of one of the selfelosingbaek-actingvalves; Fig.8, averticalsectional view of that portion of the gas-pipe which is broken away from Fig. 1 and connects with the oil-tank, and Fig.9 a view of covered gas-pipe.

The object of my invention consists in the construction of a device to protect and prevent fire or lightning from entering, setting on fire, or exploding oil-tanks or any other tank or place which may require such protection.

The protector is designed to stand on the apex of the tank, 'or it may stand at a distance from the tank. In the drawings it is represented as standingat a distance from the tank, supported by suitable Foundations and connected with the tank by the pipes P P and P and L, as shown in Figs. 1 and S. The upper end of the pipe P is provided with a selfclosing back-acting valve, n, which opens into the chamber L which chamber is formed by the fire-clay pipe L, which connects ,the pipes P and P, as shown in Fig. 8. The pipe P passes on through the foundation and connects with the pipe P, which passes through the glass insulator K and the bottom of the protector into the chamber B, as shown in Fig.1. The pipe P is furnished with a glass neck or tube, H, on its inner side, which acts as an insulator in connection with the protector A and glass insulator K. The protector A and A is made offire-clay or its equivalent.

(No model.)

Immediately above the ehamberB is a plate, 0, supplied with aseries of small gas pipes, d, fastened into said plate through openings or orifices, leaving the lower ends of the pipes 01 open into the chamber B, as shown in Fig. 1.

Immediately above and connectin g with the plate or disk 0 is the disk r, provided with a suitable number of orifices, formed in concentric circles to correspond with the number of the pipes d, and inelosing the pipes d to about one-half their length, as shown in Fig.

l. The disk 1' may be of fire-clay, cement,

or any suitable material. The space between the pipes dfrom the disk r toabout the top of said pipes is filled with fine flint-sand, T, 6 Fig. l. The upper ends of the pipes d are provided with gas-burners d, which open into the chamber Babove. The chamber B is separated from the chamber B by one or more partitions of perforated brass, x, and wire-gauze, w, about central.

In about the center of the top of the chamber B is an orifice or opening, D, leading right and left into the orifices or openings D, which are provided with the self-closing back-acting valves 12, which open into the chamber V. The chambers V are also partitioned about central with one or more partitions of the perforated brass a and wire-gauze a. The large selt-closing back-acting valves 0 open out from the chambers V into the open air, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. l. The valves 0 are also provided with a smaller valve, 0, of the same nature, opening out from the openings 0 in the values a in about their centers.

The pipe or tube 20 is placed through the side of the protector, just over the disk 1', for the purpose of letting out any water or condensed oil that may accumulate in the protector, the pipe to being covered on its inner end with a. 0 sponge, t, to prevent sand from getting into and filling it.

The self-closin g back-actingvalves are made, as represented in Figs. 4 and 7, by hinging the valve a, at a, to a short piece of pipe or tube, tapering a little, so that it may be fitted tight into the orifices, openings, or chambers, as'may be required. They may be formed so that the valve 1% will hang inclined or perpendicular.

' The protector frame or body is formed in two parts, A and A, and joined together at the line 2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 represents the lower portion of the protector, looking down from the line 2, Fig. 1, showing the pipes d as arrangedin concentric circles, and showing the form of the protector.

Fig. 9 represents the manner in which the conducting-pipes P and P are wound with a suitable cord or twine, which is dipped or saturated with a non-combustible material and painted, making it as nearly as possible a nonductor of electricity.

The use of the pipes L is to break off the continuous metal conductor which would otherwise exist. The pipe L, being fire-clay, is

nearly a perfect non-conductor of electricity.

It will be observed that when any amount of gas may accumulate in the tank it will rise up and pass off through the pipe P and when a suflicient amount is gathered into said pipe it will press against and open the valve n, letting the said gas pass on into the pipe P, allowing the valve a to close. It then passes on through the pipes P and P into the chamber B; thence up through the pipes d and gasburners (1 into the chamber B; from thence up through partitions of perforated brass w and wire-gauze :10 into the chamber B thence up through the orifice or opening D into the openings D, pressing against the valves n, causing them to open, allowing it to pass out into the chambers Vand allowing the valves 12 to close after it. Then the gas passes out through the perforated brass a and wire-gauze partitions a, and presses against the valves 0 and c, causing them to open, letting it pass oil into the atmosphere. When a very slight pressure of gas comes against the valves 0 and c, the valve 0, being smaller, will open, allowing it to pass ofl' through the opening 5 in the large valve 0, exposing less of the interior of the protector.

When oil tanks or wells are not provided with any means of letting ofl' gas other than allowing it to pass off direct from the tank or well, it is liable to become ignited at any time, either by tire or lightning communicating from tank to tank, igniting them in turn and cansing them to explode'or burn; but by means of the'protector shown in the drawings it will be seen that when any gas becomes ignited outside of the protector communication will be cut off from the tank and protector by the valves 0 and c, which immediately close after discharge. Should any explosion occur at the time gas is being discharged through the valves 0 and e, the said valves will be immediately closed, extinguishing any flames which may have entered into the chamber V, the valves 12. cutting off communication to the interior.

The cylinder or body of the protector, being made from fire-clay, is a nearly perfect nonconductor of electricity, and by being connected with the glass insulators H and K and covered pipes P and P saturated with a noncombustible material and painted, the combination is a nearly perfect non-conductor of electricity.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as novel, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows, to wit:

1. In a protector for oil-tanks, the cylinder or body A and A, provided with the pipes P and P, chambers B, B, and B orifices or openings D and D, chambers V, and self-closing valves a and c, for the use and purpose set forth.

2. In a protector for oiltanks, the exterior case, constructed in two parts, A and A, and containing the chambers B, B, ,1), D, and V, pipe 10, perforated clay partition 1',eontainiug the pipes (I, provided with gas-burners d, sand filling T, metal disk 0, valves n, c, and c, and partitions a a and w 90, all arranged to operate as set forth, and supported on the glass plate K and connected to an oil-tank by means of the pipe P, having the glass lining H, and pipes P, P, and L, in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

WILLIAM J. HALL.

Witnesses:

WM. J. Horonms, T. H. HUTCIIINS. 

